


Fatal Attraction

by Slycmase



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, Hair Dyeing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marriage, Memory Loss, Purple Prose, Tongues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25379548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slycmase/pseuds/Slycmase
Summary: “Irkens do not take… partnerships lightly, Dib-stink.”My submissions for Zadr Week 3!!! hosted by the lovely @poor-ciceros-voring-again on tumblr. Hey zadr lovers, here comes my descent to madness as I aim to complete this thing!chapter titles would be the themes.
Relationships: Dib & Gaz (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 115





	1. Awkward Beginnings

**‘We no longer need any of your incessant reports, Zim. Now be a good Irken and face your exile with dignity.’**

The words flashed on the monitor, stark and unyielding, whenever he tried to communicate with the Massive.

It had been for several Earth years, and some point, he’d stopped bothering.

It was clear that the armada no longer needed him.

No need for Zim to bring Earth to its knees and to the glory of Irk.

There was barely any more reason to keep fighting, and yet-

He wouldn’t give up his rivalry with Dib for anything.

So he fought.

Concocted little schemes. When they were once that aimed to take control of the planet, they shifted- aiming to keep Dib’s attention on him, petty pranks just to get the human cursing at him, to once again try to get their blood pumping, adrenaline pushing at them to bring the other down.

When their fights began to turn to more sparring than maiming, and banter began to feel more playful than hurtful, it should’ve been unsurprising for Dib to ask, “Are we even still… enemies?”

And yet Zim still found himself reeling, never once had asked it to himself. But that couldn’t be right.

If they weren’t enemies anymore, what were they?

Zim feared not only the answer, but the potential end to their charade- Dib has been his rival for so long that he couldn’t imagine being without him anymore.

Maybe sensing his reluctance to answer, Dib had been quick to follow his inquiry. “Do you think you could ever just trust me, Zim?”

Zim physically recoiled. Irkens do not trust, not when it was a show of weakness. “You speak of incompetence, Dib-thing.”

Dib gave him a look that he didn’t understand, but whatever it was, he didn’t like it. “You haven’t been an enemy for a long time, Zim. Do you think you can see me as more than that? Something else?”

Zim lightly clutched the ends of his uniform, suddenly hating how he never stopped using it. His voice came up too quiet. “Like what?”

“Maybe someone you think you’d like to see everyday, someone you could depend on, in certain circumstances?”

Zim blinked, and perked up. That was more like loyalty, wasn’t it? Irkens understood that.

“Partners?” Zim tried out the word on his tongue. An old Irken legend sprung to mind, although… that couldn’t be what Dib was asking. He turned to Dib with almost a sneer in his eyes. “Irkens do not take… partnerships lightly, Dib-stink.”

Dib ignored the small pang in his chest that reminded him that they hadn’t had a real argument in a long time. “How different could it be?” He tossed his hand. “Enlighten me.”

The concept itself thrilled Zim. Allegiance to anyone other than the Tallests were once considered an insult, and now, something far worse.

“We value loyalty above all else.”

He wasn’t ashamed to still have Irk as a part of him.

It was who Zim was. “We have a ceremony for it, for you would be swearing to put my life before yours.” He faced Dib as he said this, watching any trace of rejection. “And I will do the same.”

Zim straightened, and his eyes shone brilliantly. “We would serve anyone as second only, never first.” Which was why one of the old Tallest had banned it, criminalizing the act as a betrayal to the empire. And Zim, who had no longer had any love for the empire, was more than appealed to it.

But it still stood that Dib wouldn’t be one to understand the significance of it.

Dib had been quiet all through it all. After it was clear that Zim wasn’t to expound further, Dib asked, “Do you think it could be like that with us?”

Zim raised an eyelid, then gave no response- keeping his thoughts to himself.

It was only after an ironic turn of events- where Zim had to team up with Dib to drive off an aspiring alien invader- Earth was Zim’s planet, after all, that Zim thought to raise up the question once again.

The battle, the confrontations, even the minuscule threat of their mutual enemy, all faded out of Zim’s mind as he stared at Dib.

Dib stood there in all his glory, basking in their victory, the rays of the rescinding sun all but made his eyes a shade of gold. Tall and dependable, Zim could hardly explain his sudden appreciation, the taste of the win sweeter when shared between them, and how all their experience blended in his mind until he began to hope for a future of more of this, more of them-

Zim began to think that maybe a partnership with Dib wasn’t the worst idea.

“You’re considering it?” Dib said, skeptical to the very end, even when happiness glowed around him like a furnace.

“No,” Zim said. “I’ve already decided. The answer is yes, Dib.” And while feigning impassiveness, Zim felt like he choked on his own tongue, his chest warming all the same as Dib gave him one of those grins- the ones that said, _We’ve won._

Dib cleared his throat, suppressing any more eagerness, “How do we do this?”

“A witness.” Gaz repeated, although devoid of emotion. “You’re asking me to witness in your alien wedding.”

“Partnership,” Dib emphasized, for what seemed like the third time. His ears brightened in the tell-tale signs of a blush, although he would never admit how Gaz’s words muddled up some suppressed emotions in him. “It just means that as an Irken he would be allowing himself to maybe sorta trust me, even he would tell me not to use those words exactly. Depend on me, instead of just him.”

“Uh huh,” Gaz tapped her nails on her handheld console. “And if this means you could never trust and depend on anyone else?”

Dib frowned. “I don’t think that’s what it means?” He bit the inside of his cheek for a moment. “I don’t think there’s anything that would make him give up Gir, so that’s not an issue. I think it’s more of… allowing himself to allow me to become a part of his life, officially. To be at his side.”

“In sickness and health?”

“Ha, ha. Laugh it up.” Dib grumbled.

“Who says I’m joking?” She turned over the facts in her head, crossing her arms. “This just seems… fishy. Dib, even if there’s no trick here, do you think you’re prepared for it? It seems awfully… intimate.” Her normally stilted voice had a hint of concern there.

Dib forced a cough. “Gaz, it’s just-”

“Deny anything again and I will break your toes.”

Dib shut up.

“How?” She asked.

“What?”

She looked at him as if he was being deliberately dense. “How did you guys went from fighting to doing your lame _partnership?_ ”

Dib knew that despite her tough exterior, she was genuinely curious. “He… understands me in the level that other people can’t.”

She hummed, gesturing at him to proceed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever connected to anyone else. And I just wanted for him to know that, alright? He’s the one that suggested the Irken thing. I just thought… if that’s what it took to have Zim… really, truly, at my side… No hesitation there. I’ll do it.” He proclaimed, his confidence pushing through the small wobble of his voice in the middle.

“Maybe I could lead him to a different path, or we could take off Earth together.” He couldn’t help but fantasize, a tad star-struck at the many possibilities. “We could be good together.”

“And that’s all you want.” Gaz noted. “Companionship. That’s all. ” Dib could hear the question there. “You’ll go into this binding thing and make Zim think you guys are now fully destined to only be partners.”

Dib sighed, as his resolve began to blur. “Gaz, I only asked if you would-”

She cut him off with a glare. “I’m not going to stop you or tell you it’s a horrible idea. But this is a big deal for him too, right? You two should suck it up, talk it out, and go into it with all the same intentions.”

Dib’s tongue felt dry in his mouth. “He’d been pretty clear what he wanted.”

“Have you?”

Dib did not reply.

“Think about everything he told you about this binding thing, Dib. Then decide.” She pressed open on her console, no longer looking at him. “ _Then_ I’ll tell you if I’ll bear witness, or something.”

An unfamiliar soundtrack began to play as Gaz turned her back to him, but Dib had his mind already considering her tip.

The summer air was warm in their faces, with the rays of the setting sun giving the meadow a golden glow. Fireflies skittered all around them, aiming to outdo the stars once they show.

Dib kept fidgeting in his suit.

Gaz wasn’t blind. “You got me dressed up for this, you better not have second thoughts,” she mumbled, her own way of reassurance.

Her normally spiked hair was smoothed out, looking a bit softer, but not in the least hiding her intensity. Dib had no doubt she would not be opposed to throwing down a gauntlet when provoked, even when wearing a dress.

Dib shook his head at her concern, but she needn’t have worried.

The second that he saw Zim approach them, he knew he couldn’t turn back- not now, not ever.

A floor length dress replaced Zim’s usual uniform, with a gradient of his usual red darkening to black at the bottom. Black flowing sleeves gave Zim a sense of fragility, his arms foregoing the gloves entirely.

When those pink beady eyes landed on his, Dib couldn’t look away, his breath almost leaving him.

Zim looked flustered, a picture of hope in his eyes, tinged with some hesitance as if he couldn’t believe what was happening.

For a while, they were quite content to just watch each other, as if nothing else mattered but the two of them- until Gaz faked a cough.

Zim blinked, and he turned away. “Gaz,” he greeted her, “Would you be the witness to our union?”

“Why else would I be here?”

“Formality,” Zim replied, just as Dib mildly jabbed her sister at the side.

She shot him a glare. “Yeah, sure, I’m witnessing.”

“Excellent!” Zim shouted in his usual bravado, although with the undertone of nerves. The two focused on the alien again.

“Dib-human.” Zim began without any malice, “I have seen you at your lowest. I have triumphed against you and with you, and I concede you are taller in height. Will you accept me?”

“I take you as mine.” Dib replied, almost fumbling at his cue. He knew the words but… it felt different, when it was finally time for him to hear it.

It was his turn, now. “Zim,” Dib began, reciting the words by memory if not by heart, “I have seen you at your lowest. I have triumphed with you and against you, and I recognize that you are beneath my height.” The last part felt unnecessary to him but clearly meant something to Zim, since the Irken all but straightened up, fully accepting himself even if society deems him worth not. “Will you accept me?”

“I take you as mine.” Zim replied.

If Dib were asked at that moment if magic existed, he would’ve said yes. No investigations needed. Magic was there in the way that the world seemed to be a lot brighter, with the fireflies that danced around them, and in the connection that started from Dib’s heart, to whatever Zim had that’s equivalent.

“Oh, is it my cue?” Gaz droned, but Dib could’ve sworn that there was some underlying affection there.

Gaz brought out an ornate knife, and lightly pricked the two’s palms, lightly grumbling at the danger and idiocy of tradition picking the palm to draw blood.

A dark red bloomed in Dib’s, and light pink in Zim’s.

She urged the two to get on with it. “May this not be the last time you will bleed for each other,” Gaz didn’t feel the need to hide the fact that she was reading it on paper, “And may your bond last longer than you enemies. May one not fall in battle without the other, for that is the greatest pain of all.”

Zim took initiative and clutched Dib’s bloody palm with his own, taking a few seconds before being able to once again meet his eyes. “I pledge myself to you, Dib.”

Dib tightened his grip. “I pledge myself to you, Zim.”

Zim couldn’t disguise the joy in his eyes.

“It is done.” Gaz interrupted them by pulling on a small party popper, then handing off a party horn to Gir. The robot took to it immediately, blowing unrestrained loud notes. Gaz reached for a glass of wine.

Zim laughed, but it wasn’t a cackle.

His genuine laugh was something that Dib would sear into memory, but he wasn’t done yet. “Zim?”

Dib’s voice easily captured Zim’s attention, who turned to him with a smile. “Yes, Dib-mine?”

“I have something to ask.” Dib, carefully, but knowingly, lowered himself into one knee. He looked up to Zim.

In one record breaking swoop, Dib found out exactly how Zim’s emotions could turn 180 in an instant.

Zim kicked him as much as he was able to, in that dress. Dib didn’t know why he was annoyed, but knew it was cultural differences. Anyone else would’ve figured out what he was trying to do.

“Hear me out!” Dib said, affixing himself slowly into the same position, watching Zim’s movements.

“You aren’t to bow to me! We are partners, I expect you to not act like a service drone, because we aren’t!”

Gaz leaned towards Gir, and faux whispered, fully knowing she would be heard. “Not the most awkward wedding I’ve seen.”

The two ignored her, still locked in their standstill.

“Zim, cultural misunderstanding.” Dib pleaded with his eyes. “Listen to me, alright?”

And while Zim gave no affirmative and had his eyes in a glare, he did not move any more threateningly.

“I don’t think I would ever meet anyone else as driven as you are. You, who make me feel like… I’m enough, that I matter, and…” The redness has tinted his ears, “Zim, you could destroy me in every single way and I’d be okay with it.”

“I trust you more than you could ever know, and I… I lo…” Dib swallowed, and brought out a ring. “Will you become more than my partner?”

Zim took a sharp inhale, not even aware when he’d begun to hold his breath. “And that would entail…?”

“It means I could do this.” Dib lightly kissed the knuckles of Zim’s hand, to which he caught his breath. “It means… I would choose you above anyone else,” he said, mirroring what Zim had once told him about Irken partnerships. “Put my life before yours. It means I choose to never leave you, in sickness and health. But most importantly, it means that you’ll allow yourself to love me as I do you. And I do. I really do. I love you, Zim.”

There was another reason Irk had partnerships banned, one that defied all logic and rendered all other emotions underneath it, and Zim never really thought he would be able to have it.

“Zim, do you accept?” Dib didn’t think he could be more nervous in his life.

A smile graced Zim’s lips. “I do.”


	2. Emo/Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2!!!  
> “What did you do?!”
> 
> “Laugh it up.” Dib said defensively. “Hair dye, it’s a thing, not that you would know, space-boy.”
> 
> a little stronger emphasis on the Gaz&Dib sibling relationship cause. I love them, and this is the only thing that got into my head with the prompt.

The tragedy began, as most tragedies do- with a right-willed protagonist with the misfortune of misguided hubris. It was easy enough for Dib to be caught up in the moment, nabbing his sister’s handheld console as he spotted a familiar figure on the screen.

“You get to play as the Loch Ness monster and you’re choosing some lame warrior?”

“Give it back.” The words, ever so innocuous, sounded downright threatening from her mouth, which was pinched in a scowl. “I am not going through an hour of cut scenes to get there again.”

“It has good stats and everything!”

“I’m warning you.”

“The lore is muddy but close enough! You should at least try it, how bad could it be?”

Gaz felt generous enough to allow her brother a few more seconds of geeking out. That, and the fact that Dib could be fast when he wanted to, dodging out of her grasp easily almost like reflex.

All thoughts of generosity flew out of the bulletproof Membrane enterprise window as Dib sheepishly handed her the console, the screen flashing with congratulations on choosing the character.

All for Dib’s paranormal obsession of the hour. Gaz cracked her knuckles audibly, and left to get a sedative.

“Aughhh… wha-?” It took Dib a moment to place where he was. While waking up on the floor was unusual to him, it usually happened in his room, whenever he’d slumped down after having a particularly tricky battle.

A few bots watched him, and that’s when the place finally clicked. That’s it, she was going to feed him to her robots- he screamed.

A pillow knocked him back.

“They’re off. For now.”

Dib turned. Gaz’s eyes weren’t on him, they were on her console- he was safe for now. But the question remained, why she’d brought him here?

When the panic faded as did his surprise, he noticed that his hair was uncomfortably damp, and reeking of a chemical scent.

“I did warn you.” She said. “I thought about dying your hair a garish color. Something appalling. Maybe green or orange.”

She paused to kill another character on screen. “But the Loch Ness monster had cloaking abilities, perfect for a rouge-like playthrough. Not the worst decision you’ve left me with. Your hair is safe for now- minus the… hm.” She took a moment to toss him a mirror.

He peeked through it and made a face. His hair was bright and pale. “The Swollen Eyeball would never take me seriously with this!”

Any plans of cornering Zim would be second in the meantime, he’d have to get black dye.

“Like they took you seriously to begin with?” Gaz scoffed, but Dib knew it was teasing.

“Well it looks unnatural. On me. Why’d you even have this stuff?” Investigator at heart, he wouldn’t pass this opportunity to take notes on Gaz’s room. She was in a good mood, a bit unlikelier for her to toss him out immediately.

The beeping of her console never paused, but the clatter of her hands on the buttons slowed. “Right, I wouldn't know anything about unnatural hair colors,” She said, the sarcasm thick on her tongue. “What do people usually use hair coloring products for?”

“You wanted to change your hair?”

“Unprecedented astute observation. That’s a first for you, Dib.”

Protective wasn’t usually his role with his sister, especially since she was more than capable of handling others. “Are you okay?”

She sighed, forced and drawn out. “I conceded to you about Nessie. Better take it before I cut your hair off entirely by staying too long.”

“You brought me here!”

“Out.”

“Alright, alright.” Dib sauntered to the door, then paused. “Your hair’s not weird, Gaz.”

Gaz knew she could ignore it. But Dib rarely noticed anything other than his paranormal obsession. She could see where this goes. “You have a stalk on your head. You don’t get any bearing on what’s weird.”

“But still.” Dib shuffled on his feet. “Do you still have your hair coloring things?”

She turned away from her game, squinting at him. “I don’t have black, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Do you have a color that’s similar to yours?”

She stared at him for a while, deliberating. Then, she closed her console. “I’ll mix something up.”

The hair dryer was loud to his ears, not to mention a bit searing when held in place for too long, but they were nearly done. She worked on him so silently, only every so often humming a note.

Dib didn’t mind. If anything, it was relaxing.

“You’re not going to be popular in this.” Gaz stated, as she felt the hair looked close to done.

“People already call me freak, I don’t think there’s anything new there.”

Gaz hummed, ignoring the unintended implication. “I tried smoothing out your stalk, but…”

Dib could already picture his hair, unaffected by gravity. “Ha, good luck with that. Maybe it’s a mutation.”

The two then thought of the imposing figure of Professor Membrane.

“Nah,” they chorused.

She gave his hair a once-over and gave a light nod. “There goes you being emo.”

“The emos died a long time ago. And I never was.”

She made a face and handed him a mirror. “Sure, edgelord. Congrats on unleashing your pastel self.”

“Wouldn’t that imply that you’re…”

“Labeling me, Dib?”

“Gamer.”

She didn’t acknowledge his backpedal, but she was pleased that her intimidation goes so far.

She pushed the mirror more insistently towards him.

Dib blinked at his reflection. It was awful. He wasn’t used to seeing color on his head, never mind one that’s really bright. Gaz waited for his reaction. “I like it,” he finally said.

She snorted, a sound that managed to be sarcastic, and ruffled his hair roughly. “Dark blue next time. And Dib?”

He perked up.

“Get out of my room.”

Dib didn’t wait for her to get the bots live again, and just went with it. The gruffness of their norm was still there, and he never expected less, but it was nice to be invited again, even if she was, for now, kicking him out.

Dib wasn’t in a hurry to get into school the next day. If not for Gaz waiting on him to go, he would’ve delayed the inevitable for as long as possible, in small part due to the dread of how obnoxious Zim was going to be.

Gaz barely glanced at him when they parted at the school gates, which was fine by him. Best not to have an audience when-

“Dib-stink!” There it was.

The Irken sauntered up to him and pointed to his hair. Blunt as usual, then.

“What did you do?!”

“Laugh it up.” Dib said defensively. “Hair dye, it’s a thing, not that you would know, space-boy.”

Zim wasn’t laughing. If anything, he looked… impressed.

Zim nodded at him. “Rebelling against your code, then? I, too, never did too well being stuck in a role I didn’t want.” His antennas longed to twitch from under his wig, as he deliberated. “I suppose even humans could rebel, even in something as inefficient as appearance....”

Dib didn’t think Zim could be quite civil. He must be plotting something.

“As for the color…” It was highly reminiscent of the one that the current Tallest had, the association too blatant to ignore, but to Zim, it was a dangerous one. Zim wasn’t the type to follow Tallest trends, but if Dib himself was showing subservience to the glory of the Tallests…

“You look good.”

Dib spluttered, choking on air, face red.

Zim only looked at him with admiration for the rest of the day, which only highly confused and flustered Dib.

And if Zim suddenly turned up to school with bright red hair- Dib made sure to say it looked good, too, even if he wasn’t sure himself.

Of course, when Zim began to sprout how much they matched- Dib put that thing to a stop, fast.


	3. Cryptids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 3!!!  
> How long had Zim been stuck in here, when Dib was debating whether to follow him? Blame… fault? Dib shook the thoughts out of his head. None of it mattered now. Finding Zim took priority.
> 
> Zim is lost in the land of the fae, and Dib’s trying to find him.

_Time… moved differently with the fae._

It felt like hours, days, weeks, that Dib stumbled and worked his way through blurred landscape of blue and dark, even if he knew it should’ve only been minutes since he landed.

The theory was all too correct- and Dib, through his dragged limbs and heavy breaths, could only suppress his guilt.

How long had Zim been stuck in here, when Dib was debating whether to follow him?

Blame… fault?

Dib shook the thoughts out of his head. None of it mattered now. Finding Zim took priority.

Sweltering, Dib marched on with almost no sense of direction. The world before him changed in an instant, the blues lighting up to yellows with no gradient between. Dib clutched his head as he tried to adjust to the scenery, his mind failing to catch up in the in-between of the last second to now.

His glasses, while firmly perched in his nose, did nothing for him in this realm. Everything was either to bright or too dull for him to focus on properly- it was giving him a headache to stare.

As if only unlocking certain senses gradually, pitched laughter rang in his ears, like someone just blared their speaker.

The blobs of yellow and green moved around him, like a crowd with a practiced stance. They mingled freely, lightly touching him at times, brushing past him, as the crowd murmured and laughed.

Music so sensual and sweet almost got Dib to sway on his feet, only for him to realize that if he got caught in their trances, he might never get out. Still, the fae persisted.

“Come dance with us,” whispered one, before drifting away with a giggle.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to just leave everything behind here?”

“Forget about all of it, and just dance?”

Their voices were a nice lull, comforting, engaging, and their warmth so real that he couldn’t feel but be lonely.

Would it really be that easy? Dib wondered dreamily, feeling the change in his body as it no longer grew weary. He was relaxed, too relaxed, and ready to just… give in.

Give… up?

Dib snapped out of the trance, and the whispers around him ceased, falling into muffled laughter.

“They failed?” A familiar voice rang.

Dib whipped his head around, only to see more blurs. He couldn’t be mistaken. He knew that voice anywhere.

“It looks too drab to be entertaining.” Another peal of laughter emerged. This time, they parted for him, to showcase, to mock him? He couldn’t care less about what these things thought of him, but Zim had to be here-

He just needed that flash of green, of those crimson eyes- he would recognize those shades easily, no matter how his vision failed him in this new world, he just needed to find him-

A thrilled ran through the crowd as the voice once again spoke, teasing and serious all at once. “You can eat him.”

It was a shock still, to find him. Dressed in a flowing white and gold robe, he was the only one that looked real to Dib, what with everything still looking like under the lenses of a filter.

Zim was the one that popped up in all this madness, features stark and defined. He was taller than Dib, now- with an air of power that only came when you’ve won everything and got bored of it.

Dib would never admit how much it bothered him to see Zim look... competent. That, and the cruel smile that played on the alien’s lips.

“Zim?” Dib said, his voice still and unbelieving.

Zim’s swept the crowd and turned to him, then, without any recognition, bypass him entirely.

Dib felt his blood rise. “I know I took so long but that doesn’t mean you get to act like you don’t-”

The mild murmurs all around him ceased once Dib raised his voice, and the silence felt threatening.

Zim’s impassive face never changed.

“The act’s not funny, Zim.” Dib said, his voice losing almost all his hold. “I didn’t come all this way to take you home for you to brush me off.”

“I don’t even know who you are.” Zim issued an order without ever leaving his gaze. “He’s disturbing the festivities. I think one of the back gardens needs fertilizer. Take him away.”

“You’re lying!” Dib said, frustrated but not unwilling to fight. He broke free of the blobs that were intending to capture him, aiming towards the Irken. It was a frenzied approach, less careful that he would’ve when given the chance to prepare, wishing for luck to take hold.

It didn’t. He was pinned to the floor before even reaching Zim half-way, the faes that captured him silent and stoic. All unreal.

Sharp metal pressed against Dib’s neck as Zim watched from afar, the fae soldiers waiting for an order.

“I changed my mind.” Zim said, a devious glint in his eyes. “Clean him up and take him to my quarters. I want him alive.”

A sickly sweet scent overpowered Dibs senses, and the world- not quite his world, faded away.

His hair was uncomfortably damp, and something too soft covered his body, fuscia robes flowing over his arms and legs. Dib was struck by the sensations and forced his torso upright, wincing as his body felt heavy.

He didn’t remember going to sleep, and he didn’t feel all that well-rested. But consciousness was enough of a sign for him to stay alert. He felt watched.

Was Zim-

The Irken stared at him, contemplating.

Dib noted his still damp body. “Did you bathe me?” He couldn’t keep the incredulity from his voice.

“I have servants for that,” Zim answered, ever so smoothly.

“And this?” Dib gestured to the robe.

“I’ve always liked that color.”

“Wear it yourself.” Dib snapped.

Zim moved to come near him, and Dib unsubtly moved back. Zim didn’t look bothered, and closed in until Dib could see the intricate embroidery of his clothes- of colors that he thought the Irken wouldn’t pull of, but did.

Although maybe it had been more about Zim’s movement rather than the clothing itself, the way he carried himself all knowing, untouched by anything of this world-

Zim lightly grabbed his chin. “Red does not suit you,” he said, almost disappointed. “Darker, maybe.”

“I’m not your toy.”

“I considered leaving you to rot.”

Dib hated the way that Zim acted impervious. “Why didn’t you?”

Zim’s lips twitched. “You antagonized me.” Dib was about to protest, but without any other warning, Zim pressed his lips to Dib’s- demanding and hungry. His lips were coaxing, relentless, persuasive- Dib could feel any reservation of his crumble as his mind fell slack.

His lips was soft, which was a pleasant surprise. In the back of his mind, Dib wondered if Zim had always tasted this sweet.

Zim’s tongue was long and slimy, utterly alien, and yet Dib couldn’t help but shiver. It didn’t matter how much his mind connected Zim as his rival- because even this felt like a battle, a war to see who could claim the other.

Zim was intoxicating- passion ruled over logic at this point, and Dib didn’t know how far they would’ve gone if Zim hadn’t decided to deepthroat him with his tongue.

Dib shoved the Irken off, coughing, his face burning.

“Have I broken you already?”

Dib glared at him while he controlled his breathing. Meanwhile, Zim looked barely bothered, aside from the way his eyes darkened in color.

He might’ve looked as stony as he could. But Zim was never that unfeeling. Emptiness was a staple to him, as well as boredom. Zim would never admit how he felt a little more whole as he explored Dib’s mouth, a little less drowning. He could, however, admit to wanting to do it again.

Dib didn’t look as receptive.

“Zim,” Dib tried again, “We don’t- I don’t-”

Zim clicked his tongue. “You talk as if you know me, human.” Amusement glinted off those bright beady orbs.

A familiar rage rose inside Dib, one that fired him up as much as he could to bring the alien down, but this time, to get him on his side. “I do. You’re an invader trying to take over Earth but I always end up stopping you, you have a robot that calls me Mary for some reason- You don’t remember any of that?”

Zim’s mind rejected the possibility. He’d been alone for as far as he could remember, deftly seizing power in the fae court as easy without any opposition. In a place where the demons couldn’t lie, he had the advantage, and he just needed to learn how to hide it. If he’d had some other life before this desolated place, he’d remember it.

“You lie.” Zim hissed at him.

“No, it’s the truth.” He had to convince Zim somehow. “Gir is probably wondering where you are. Don’t you want to come back to him?”

The name tugged something deep inside him, and Zim gripped the sides of his head, his antenna falling flat against it. “Who are you?! Tell me!”

_Never give the fae your name._

“Zim…” Dib didn’t know if he should. It was _the one_ taboo with them. Zim’s been a part of this society for who knows how long that he had probably picked up some tricks to use his name against him.

But this was Zim! His alien rival first and foremost! He was either falling for an obvious fae trap… or a part of him trusted the alien.

“I’m Dib.” He answered quietly.

All at once, Zim stopped fidgeting. Dib could recount the exact second that recognition flashed in those pinkish eyes.

A scowl, one so unhinged and so entirely _his Zim_ , morphed the alien’s features.

Zim pinned him down. “You pushed me here!”

It took Dib a moment to remember what he was talking about, in between noticing Zim’s hands against him again.

He focused. Time worked differently here, it felt like it had been ages. But rummaging around his memory, he remembered.

The scene was once set- Dib, the paranormal enthusiast, wanting to gather data on fairy rings, and the skeptic alien tagging along for kicks.

There was a mystical magical circle there, mushrooms enclosing a suspicious a suspiciously lush patch of grass-

Dib jokingly pushed Zim in the direction of one of those rings, seeing as the other had been complaining about his desire to take notes on “weed”, and Zim retaliated with a harder shove.

It didn’t take long for Zim to become serious, aiming to push Dib in despite his protests, and with adrenaline that backed Dib up, Dib resisted- but in turn had Zim fall in, disappearing without a trace.

Dib protested, “You’re the one that started pushing! I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“Too slow, Dib! Too slow!” Zim shut his eyes, his grip piercing Dib’s wrists. “They might’ve hidden my memory but it’s back now, Dib-worm. I know you pushed me.” His voice grew thick with emotion. “I’ve spent too long in this rotten masked land- always feeling misplaced, missing something and never knowing what-”

Zim tightened his grasp.

To Dib’s surprise, pale pink tears streamed down from Zim’s eyes.

For a moment there, Dib thought Zim would lean down to kiss him again. And even a stranger thought, he knew he wouldn’t be opposed if Zim did.

But Zim slackened his grasp, eased off him and cleared his eyes, his stress finally dawning on him.

He pulled Dib up and leaned on him, grasping his shirt, not quite an embrace but not too far from it.

Zim burrowed in Dib’s neck, savoring the feeling of finally, finally being whole. “You’re never leaving me again, Dib-stink. Even if I have to keep you on a leash.”

His breath was cool on Dib’s skin. Dib swallowed dryly. “Well, uhh… next monster hunt, I’ll let you stick to me.”

The punch to his gut, Dib conceded, might be entirely earned.

“Let’s go, Dib-thing. Time to go home.”


	4. Possessive/Protective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4!!! (you guys are so sweet thank you for all your messages!!!)
> 
> Zim retracted the legs to his PAK, then tried to brush off the blood from his claws. “I will show you threatening, Dib-thing. I will show your world in ruins until you can no longer bear to look away at the power I hold.”

It was easy enough to hate when given a reason.

_But this?_

This was just illogical.

Unlike the superior Irken skin, humans had walls of meat of decaying flesh- constantly changing cells per the second.

Zim should’ve expected that their bodies- so, very different from his, would be repulsive on another level too- they stink.

Overpoweringly so, a new, different, almost heavy scent- Zim knew from the very moment it reached his antenna that he disliked it.

Especially Dib’s.

Musky with such a sense of sharpness. One that he would become all too familiar with, as it would surround Zim’s senses during a fight.

It was a mystery how he still managed catch its scent even with how powerful the PAK worked with its filters-

And in this line of thinking, one would appear, one that he would later either deny or suppress, that perhaps the reason he was attuned to it was-

He never wanted it to be filtered out at all.

And maybe someday, that particular thought would burst, driving any other emotions to the ground while he tried to find some way to rationalize how his fatal attraction to his rival’s scent, was nothing but normal.

There was a particular type of triumph there, on being able to push his rival to his limits and yet still being on top, both figuratively and literally-

Zim enjoyed the way the human panted underneath him, breath heavy against the pavement.

Yet the battered, bruised and tired Dib, refused to admit defeat.

Hard, determined eyes faced upwards, searching for any weakness until he found a way to get the upper hand.

It was tantalizing, to say the least, to have all this focused intensity right under him, all the rage and animosity burning all for Zim.

Dib’s scent… so close… was clouding, intoxicating… but not nearly enough.

There had to be more of it, or maybe some way for Zim to experience it more often, or find the way to make the sensation fuel him better- Zim wondered if he could somehow taste Dib’s smell on his skin.

He watched his own slender tongue slither out, only moments away from contact, inching towards the sweet line of Dib’s neck-

Dib pushed him off.

No matter the exhaustion, Dib broke free of Zim’s grasp, breathing heavier than before, and for a different reason, too.

Zim watched red bloom in his face, leaving him wondering if he’d somehow crossed some line.

Dib left the room without so much of a barb, any quip, or threats to follow Zim if he ever tried to do something again- no, it was only quiet with a lack of promises.

Zim was left staring, wondering, yearning, and not at all sure if he’d won.

Dib knew enough to be perceptive.

He knew Zim had been acting… weird. More so than usual. This was new.

After all, Zim had never been the type to be terrifying. Concerning, destructive, and a major nuisance, sure.

But it was a feat to be truly afraid of him, and Dib didn’t like it.

While it was in the nature of their relationship to fight every so often- with jeers and taunts, promises to bring the other down- it often came with a mutual understanding of _it’s nothing personal, it’s just business._

Or at least, that’s what Dib believed.

_Zim on top of him, pinning him down as he panted- that long tongue snaking his way down-_

Dib had long been running away from that moment, not even facing his own mind. He didn’t know what to make of it, really. So he didn’t.

And maybe he’d gone a little overboard with not facing his confusion, general nervousness and uncertainty, because he’d begun to ignore Zim as well.

It was easy enough for him to handle; evading his gaze, not responding to his remarks- he was amazed at how he’d come to realize that he started most of their squabbles, and how tamer his life had been without them.

Zim learned quickly enough to adapt.

The alien glared at him when he thought Dib wasn’t looking, and had stopped trying to pick a fight with him as well.

And in the rare moments that Dib would take a moment to forget his resolution, he’d turn to Zim, too, as does habit, but oftentimes the glares and the scowls weren’t there. For a split second before the two remembered their places, Zim looked as if longing, and Dib got tempted to stop his silence.

But then Zim would again furrow his brow with all the intensity he could muster, and Dib would go back to pretending the alien doesn’t exist- and the cycle would continue again.

And yet even as Dib tried to suppress anything Zim related- the weird feeling that stirred inside him, one that wondered how long Zim’s tongue could be and how it would feel pressed up against him-

He couldn’t help but be aware of the alien’s presence, sitting only a few spaces from him in their high skool classroom, always a flash of green in his peripherals, as if they revolved around each other with their own special type of gravity.

Never far, never away, never without the other.

Dib knew this surreal standstill couldn’t last for longer. It was only a matter of time.

Zim cornered him, or maybe it was Dib that wanted to get caught, because at some point his glares became fiercer and piercing, and Dib knew he could never really stay away forever.

In either case, Dib fell right into the alien’s furious trap.

Pain blossomed in Dib’s cheeks, but Zim didn’t stop there. He slammed Dib down on the cold, white tiles of the skool floor, both thankful for the place was already deserted by then.

A scowl worked its way in Dib’s features, but he stared distinctly at the side, unwilling to face Zim still, even as his PAK legs kept him from rising, from moving, from defense.

“Dib-human! Do you finally fear me?”

Any plans to struggle fell flat as Zim spoke. Zim rarely felt the need to be quiet, much less.. cautious, which in turn made it all the more menacing to hear.

But it was the words itself that shook Dib out of his stupor, finally feeling awake after all this time. “You wish,” he mumbled, fully expecting a kick or some other pain.

It didn’t come.

“Have you given up on your heroics, then? You no longer wish to save the Earth?”

Dib felt a bit shamed. In truth, he’d barely thought of Zim’s plans for world conquest, because his mind had been pretty occupied thinking of… oh.

His skin flushed, and he kicked out, trying to get the alien out of his space. “What’s your deal!?”

“What is _my_ deal? Mine?” Zim dug his claws into Dib’s shirt, prompting blood and a hiss of pain from the human. “This does not satisfy Zim! You forfeit and run away and refuse to look me in the eye, you’ve grown to be a useless arch rival, and it’s not like…”

A thought seized Zim as he beat down on the human, and his eyes narrowed in distaste. “Oh. I see.” The anger dissipated as easily as it arrived.

Coldly, Zim lifted his PAK legs off, making sure to draw another line of blood from Dib’s chest as he stood. “You no longer see Zim as the threat that he is. Or perhaps you’ve found that a better use of your time was fighting other lowly dirt children, suiting your pitiful rank.”

“You think I’m fighting someone else?!” Dib asked, only to have Zim stare at him without emotion.

Zim retracted the legs to his PAK, then tried to brush off the blood from his claws. “I will show you threatening, Dib-thing. I will show your world in ruins until you can no longer bear to look away at the power I hold.”

Zim began to walk away.

Dib couldn’t let that happen.

“I never stopped looking, all right?!” He winced as the shout aggravated the cuts on his chest, but he ignored it for the meantime. “Even when I tried to think about anything else, it was always… just you.”

The thought of blood staining his clothes was making Dib nervous. He had to go.

Dib wasn’t sure if things could just go back to where they were before, but-

“See you tomorrow, Zim.” He grunted out, standing and wobbling a bit at his feet. “Make good on your promise. World ending crap. I’ll fight you.”

-he’ll just have to stop fighting change.

Zim sighed at him, long and forced, before walking over to steady him, his hand at his waist.

Dib flushed. It was awkward and he felt too messy, but he knew he couldn’t distance himself again. He leaned his body against Zim’s hold easily, their fight all but forgotten.

Zim offered no comment or explanations, but deep inside, he felt the same.

They have always been affixed to each other, whether friends or enemies, maybe it wouldn’t be a stretch to be something more than that.


	5. Hurt/Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 5!!!  
> Zim’s head landed on the floor hard, making it hard for him to push Dib off. “Fine!” Zim shrieked. All his attempts of struggle were futile. “Do your filthy experiments! Just take everything from me!”
> 
> welcome to the angst train, thank you for riding with us today, mentions blood and harm.

Zim was tired.

It was the kind of tiredness that nicked all his energy and left him in a state of limbo- not quite asleep, but not entirely awake either.

The couch might’ve been gravel instead, with all the comfort it gave him.

“Mary’s here!” Gir sang as he passed the couch, making a beeline for the kitchen.

Zim didn’t react, or respond. It felt like there was nothing more to do than to stare lifelessly through space, ruminating on the knowledge that Irk has forsaken him and he was all alone-

 _oh_.

Soft touches, ever so slightly, brushed against Zim’s head. He closed his eyes, content to just stay still in this stolen moment.

Zim sighed as deft fingers reached his antennas. It soothed him, even when it should’ve been utterly terrifying with how fragile they were, or at least sensitive- he would be down for the count if anything happened to them.

But at this point of time, even hurt would’ve been good for him, knowing that he might’ve deserved it somewhat, for existing as a defect, for failing numerous times with nothing to show for it- there should be a consequence there, right?

Dib didn’t seem to think so. With all his faults and brashness, he must’ve known exactly how to treat him carefully, taking the time to stroke only in lightness, until Zim all but wanted to fall asleep.

The familiar metallic clangs on the floor warned Dib that Gir was approaching. “Gir,” he asked, his voice so quiet that Zim almost strained to hear, “You said Zim is broken?”

Zim internally winced at the wording. Close enough, Gir. Defective.

“How do we get him back?”

Was that it, then? Dib pitied him?

Zim shook himself up, sluggishly, but not without a powerful glare. “What are you doing?”

Dib merely frowned at him. “Are you sick, then?”

Lethargic, maybe. Not sick.

Zim opened up his PAK legs, dragging them over the couch, sending waves of cotton everywhere. He pushed himself into the floor and settled in a defensive crouch.

Dib’s concern was sickening. “Leave or Zim will rip you next.” He raised his PAK legs higher, sharp, glinting blades aimed at him.

Dib only looked more concerned. “Gir told me you and the computer had an accident. Is that what’s causing this?”

 _Accident?_ A humorless laugh bubbled in Zim’s throat, but he swallowed it down, leaving only a manic grin. “I destroyed it.”

The one thing that made his life on Earth easier, and he destroyed it to stop the transmissions. He really was defective, wasn’t he?

“Maybe I’ll blow up my base too!” This time, Zim couldn’t help but laugh, even if it was a broken, unsettling sound.

Dib took this slight of defense into his favor, and tackled Zim to the ground.

Zim’s head landed on the floor hard, making it hard for him to push Dib off. “Fine!” Zim shrieked. All his attempts of struggle were futile. “Do your filthy experiments! Just take everything from me!”

Dib raised both of them up, still keeping Zim in his arms.

A very distinct picture rose up in Zim’s mind. One where he would use his claws to strike Dib off him, leaving him bleeding with his face in tatters-

The image was horrible. And even if he didn’t regret thinking of it, he couldn’t handle one more weight right now. He was too unhinged, too reckless, and in one wrong move he could mutilate Dib’s face off-

He didn’t trust himself right now.

“Why won’t you leave Zim alone?!” Zim finally slumped down, keeping his head down, inching his body as far away as possible as he could with Dib’s embrace. “I am just hilarious to everyone, huh? Never meant to be anything than a joke-”

“You’re not a joke.” Dib whispered, pressing him against his chest.

“You know nothing, filthy human-”

“I know what it’s like to have no one believe in me.”

Zim tried to resist again, but he could feel Dib’s sincerity- and his heart thrumming against his PAK. “No you don’t,” Zim wailed, “I’m all alone and cut off from Irk now- what is the point of me still existing?!”

Dib leaned his cheek on Zim’s head. “Who says you’re alone?” Dib squeezed him tighter. “You’re free now, you know?”

“Free to be _nothing_.” Zim retorted, but without any heat left.

“Well, as crazy as it sounds… I always believed you could win. That I’ll make one mistake and you’ll subjugate humanity. Not that it’s a thing I would want, but… I knew you could.”

Zim caught his breath.

What was he doing?

He was _the_ Irken Invader.

“Dib-thing?”

“Yeah?”

“Take Earth. It’s yours.”

“O-kay? You’re giving up?”

Zim shuffled slightly, not leaving Dib’s lap yet but turning to face him. He grasps Dib’s cheek, making sure to keep the human’s attention on him- and only him. “I’ll be taking Irk.”

Dib swallowed visibly as Zim began to absent-mindedly stroke him.

“And if you’d like to rule with me, Zim is accepting applications.”


	6. Space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 6!!!  
> He believed that from above, the vast expanse of space was someone otherworldly, just as interested as him with Earth’s mysteries, someone that also longed to learn and explore- and he would be contented, knowing that he wasn’t alone.
> 
> Thank you all for your support!!! but my gosh. I haven't written so much in so little time that im a bit burned out. this one's a short boi.  
> 

Even from a young age, Dib knew his dad never believed him.

They would stare at the cloudless sky for ages, drinking in the stars and the dark. His dad would encourage his incessant curiosity but dissuade his imagination, allowing him to be validated with his love of the world, but never enough to indulge him in his real interests- the ones that toed the line between fiction and reality.

But Dib knew, and Dib believed, there was something out there in those woods, or beyond the murky recesses of that lake, beyond everything that everyone deemed as normal. And that they hid within the dark, when Dib couldn’t see them during the day.

He believed that from above, the vast expanse of space was someone otherworldly, just as interested as him with Earth’s mysteries, someone that also longed to learn and explore- and he would be content, knowing that he wasn’t alone.

Space began to be a difficult subject when it turned out that the aliens were out to get Earth, and no one believed Dib. Space began to feel more apparent when a tiny Irken began promises of world conquering and Dib was all alone to stop him-

When the world turned all around him not knowing of the reality of the threats they faced.

Space was the gap between Dib and all other humans that didn’t care for him, the ones that excluded him, and the ones that thought he was the one that’s insane for knowing the truth.

But space, in the loosest sense of the word, began to change at home as well.

It was Gaz locking herself up in her room for days, or when his Dad simply retreated at the mention of anything paranormal, no matter its plausibility.

Space began to feel suffocating- horizons that never seemed to have an end, enclosing all over him and yet feeling so out of reach.

And it was only with the creature of space itself, that in a twisted way Dib found his purpose in, when they indulged each other in a game of chase.

It was within the space where Zim began and Dib ended, that Dib finally, finally felt _alive._

Space was the distance between Dib and Zim’s lips.

It was waiting to see if the other felt the same but dancing around it- it was soft glances and touches that always seemed to linger a little longer than it should-

It was knowing that whatever else life throws at them, there was nothing that they couldn’t handle if they were with each other.

It was the security that Dib knew he had someone out there that understood him, someone that he could rant all his grievances to the world without the person thinking of leaving. It was the noticing, learning about the times when Zim just needed a hug and nothing else but his companionship, it was being able to give everything they had for each other and needing nothing more.

And when they finally left everything that chained them towards Earth- familial obligations, sense of misguided duty, loyalties towards the species that never cared about them- it was there in between the stars that Dib and Zim finally closed the distance between them.


	7. Late Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 7!!!  
> holy shit ma I made it  
> zim's PAK is malfunctioning and so is his memory  
> Thank you all for this wild ride, your support gives me life!!!

Dib was stubborn. Gaz knew this. But it was a bitter pill to swallow, to be helpless watching her brother go down a path that she couldn’t reach.

And the fun part of it all, was that she knew that removing him from the situation would only make things worse. Maybe she can delude herself that she’s helping by being the confidante, the someone that Dib could talk to- a thought that made her scoff. _It wasn’t enough._

“Don’t you think this is a little above you?” Gaz would give anything for her words to be snarky and not concerned.

Dib sighed on the other side of the line. “You know he has no one else.”

Who else would believe them? And if they did, Gaz doubted they would treat Zim well.

“Don’t destroy yourself in the process,” she warned.

“I won’t.”

“How bad was it this time?”

“I don’t know why he fixates on a smeet.” His voice was torn between incredulity and mild annoyance.

“Hm.”

“Well… Maybe I do understand. It’s easy to get swayed by delusion… But I don’t like it. And I’m not proud of it but… I snapped.”

“What did you do?”

“I told him the smeet wasn’t real. He freaked out.” Dib sounded like he was trying to keep his voice even. Gaz wasn’t falling for it. “He broke Gir and shut down again. I don’t…” The tattered couch, the screams of pure hatred, and the fight that ensued was all too fresh in his mind. He held his breath, swallowing a lump in his throat. “And I keep wondering, is this it? What if he doesn’t wake up?”

Gaz lightly sipped on a cup of coffee, momentarily stunned- but she had to be the tough one eventually. “He’s woken up before, right?”

“Not like…” Slamming Gir’s face down on the floor until the poor robot was in dents, then tossed like scrap. “It was always just like, falling asleep at the most opportune time. I think this one was deliberate.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“I’m still going. But… I’m waiting to see if I could say goodbye. I don’t want to leave off… I don’t want to remember him being so mad at me, if things go wrong…”

Would he have told her goodbye if she hadn’t called? Zim held a different spot in her brother’s life, she knew that, but she often wondered if she was losing him. But she had an act to do, and she played the role well. “Humor him, Dib. Maybe the smeet is just a projection of everything he wanted when he was a kid. Trying to give something that he wasn’t given and all that.”

Dib was too quiet on his end.

“Dib?”

“I’m still here, I just thought I heard something.”

Paranoia again. Gaz sighed, and tried to prepare herself for the long night ahead.

“I love you!” Bright golden eyes greeted him, ones that rushed in to hug Zim. His tiny arms barely had any strength to them, with soft skin that’s barely hardened.

The symphony was unmistakable, and Zim leaned forward to hug back, never wanting to let go.

_Thunk._

Cold steel slammed in Zim’s face, and he shook himself up, dazed, and stared at the quiet darkness of his base.

Oh.

He inhaled sharply, and loudly sighed. Sleeping always did weird things to his head, which may be in part how Irkens weren’t supposed to sleep- but his PAK had been malfunctioning lately… everything just made him so tired.

He roamed his base, seeking nothing in particular, but feeling that something was missing. He frowned as his footsteps seemed to echo in the large rooms. Where was the soft whirrs of the Computer, or the loud monkey shows of Gir?

And a faint memory that tugged at him- a broken, defeated sound just before he went to sleep- he remembered someone crying.

Was it his smeet that needed him? Was he the one waiting for him?

He hurried in his steps, only barely noticing Gir in the corner, too quiet and unmoving.

Just around the corner were whispers of a conversation.

“It’s not going to get better on it’s own.” Dib scoffed, although it came out a little forced. “It’s a natural reaction to stress, Gaz. You’ve seen me cry before.”

Zim perked up. Dib-human was here?

“I’m not giving up, see? If I have to use his leader’s own PAK’s to fix his, then-” A pause. “I know. But I need you to stay here. I can’t trust anyone else, you would keep an eye on him, if I don’t come back-”

“Dib?”

Dib flinched, then turned to his phone. “I’ll call you back,” he said, amidst the protest that only he could hear.

Warily, Dib watched him. “You’re back.”

Zim looked at him in confusion. Was he ever gone? Right, focus. “Dib, my smeet-”

Dib cut him off instantly. “He’s fine.” Too quick, too cold.

Zim nodded, that figured. But doubt still lingered, as well as annoyance. How could Zim not know the condition of his own smeet? But if Dib said he’s fine…

Zim reassessed. Dib didn’t look any better. “And are you?”

“Seen better days.”

Zim felt their whole interaction was wrong- Dib wasn’t supposed to be distant. They were close, weren’t they?

Zim huffed his chest and crawled between Dib’s legs, leaning on him and urging the other to embrace him.

Dib obliged, a little stiffly at first, then melting at the familiarity of Zim’s body.

“Are you going somewhere?” Zim murmured, not wanting the cool comfort of the air but needing to know.

“Yeah,” Dib said, almost reluctantly. “I don’t want to leave you, but…”

“Is it regarding my condition, then?”

Dib’s strength seemed to leave him. “Don’t worry about it, Zim. Can we just have this?”

Zim wanted to protest, but he couldn’t deny the request. His antenna began to lightly stroke Dib’s hair, trying to give comfort. He shifted gears. Maybe Dib needed a distraction. “Tell me about my smeet?” He suggested, not entirely for Dib’s sake. “My memory is…” he gave a lithe shrug, “but you remember, right? Is he into the paranormal like you?”

Dib blinked at the question. “I… no?”

“An invader, then, like me.” Zim accepted. “Our smeet…I remember his first words, you know.”

Dib tensed, turning the phrase over. _Our_. “Do you remember what he looks like?”

“Of course.” Zim said with pride. “Golden eyes, brighter than your browns, antennas a little crooked.”

“What else do you remember?”

Zim quieted.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

Zim felt a headache coming on. “I don’t…”

“It’s alright.” Dib stopped himself, then pressed a kiss to the top of Zim’s head. “You’re going to be fine.”

Zim’s headache wouldn’t subside. “Dib-mine? Hold on to me?”

Dib cradled him closer, until Zim could pick out the warring sounds in Dib’s heart.

“Zim?”

“Yes?”

“Will you forget me, too?”

Zim felt compelled to lie, but he knew Dib would know. “I don’t know.”

“Will you tell me you never want to see me again?”

“Of course not. Why would I? Where is this coming from?”

Dib blinked away tears. “I love you.”

Their late night was ending, and Dib wished it wouldn't.

**Author's Note:**

> i absolutely poured my heart out into these fics so if you liked it, feel free to tell me!


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